I sold my 370Z and bought a diesel X Trail and joined the frugal ones.

Then diesel went more expensive than petrol - oh well at least it's more economical!

Now driving diesel is frowned upon and it has a huge stigma!

Guess my road tax will got back to £500.

Now we must focus on electric cars that will probably drive themselves (or so they believe). At least the owner occupant can use his mobile without fear of crashing.

Oh and why haven't many new cars got spare wheels - to reduce weight and help fuel economy. I wonder if anyone would actually notice ANY difference - they would certainly notice if they get a cut tyre.

Z Club Member

Diesel pumps were usually 'round the back' (along with the paraffin pump!) away from the petrol pumps at petrol stations, back in the days when they were only generally used by wagons. I used to be a pump attendant back then - remember them?

I've had diesel cars for many years, firstly as company cars (no choice) then as my own cars, currently a Skoda Fabia VRS which is 'clean', economical and nippy. I have no desire for a 3-cylinder, 1-litre buzz box. Seriously considered a Morris Minor to convert to electric power but I have the vision of a massive power station in the background pumping out oodles of nasty stuff just to generate so called clean power. Rather defeats the object in my mind so stuck with petrol for the MM.

Z Club Member

The wife's MINI is a diesel and that engine, when driven against the same petrol equivalent as a comparison prior to purchase was in a different league. £0 road tax too.

I've never owned a diesel car though ... and the day I can't get into my own car (of whatever persuasion) to drive it MYSELF, is the day my enjoyment of cars ends ends (thankfully not within my lifetime imo) ...

My big beef atm during dodgy weather (rain, fog, snow) is cars with sidelights on at the front, no doubt the dashboard illuminated but no rear lights.

That was one 'clever' conception.....and should be an MOT/CT failure !

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JK - that's the problem, they have caused hysteria for many people. And the more they tell us diesel sales are down the worse it will get - a spiral. It must have seriously affected car manufacturers plans and sales. Are there good deals on diesel?

Yep, twice I have had to tell my mate to switch his lights on! Agreed.

Z Club Member

Official Trader

Fuel was always more expensive here than your side - I remember us topping up in Dover before motoring through France. Diesel was and is always cheaper than SP95 but the govt is taxing the diesel more heavily here to catch up and then overtake petrol to encourage us to go unleaded.

It was De Gaulle that encouraged everyone here to do diesel. Anyone know why ?

Z Club Member

JK - that's the problem, they have caused hysteria for many people. And the more they tell us diesel sales are down the worse it will get - a spiral. It must have seriously affected car manufacturers plans and sales. Are there good deals on diesel?

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The deals we do are no different to what they've always been Rob,and our product is in demand particularly at the top end of our range to the point where we have supply constraints on quite a few models. Our latest diesel engines use selective catalytic reduction to eliminate upto 92% of the NOx emissions. They are EU6 compliant in the same way our petrols are, and the facts are being reported inaccurately.

The rules changed last April on new car first registration and moved away from emisions due to the revenue lost to the treasury and this April they are changing again.

None of it has anything to do with environment and pollution, thats just b0llocks, as always is just about money.

The deals we do are no different to what they've always been Rob,and our product is in demand particularly at the top end of our range to the point where we have supply constraints on quite a few models. Our latest diesel engines use selective catalytic reduction to eliminate upto 92% of the NOx emissions. They are EU6 compliant in the same way our petrols are, and the facts are being reported inaccurately.

The rules changed last April on new car first registration and moved away from emisions due to the revenue lost to the treasury and this April they are changing again.

None of it has anything to do with environment and pollution, thats just b0llocks, as always is just about money.

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Yeh money that's what annoys me. If we all stopped driving, drinking and smoking the the govt would be strapped for cash. Also we would live longer and be a huge burden for the state, belching and farting in our Care Homes.

ZClub Administrator

Staff MemberCommittee Member

Yeh money that's what annoys me. If we all stopped driving, drinking and smoking the the govt would be strapped for cash. Also we would live longer and be a huge burden for the state, belching and farting in our Care Homes.

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So we’ve got to pay one way or another. Is the issue with transparency of the politicians or fairness of where the tax is levied?

Z Club Member

Z Club Member

Staff Member

Love my diesel hippo (freelander), 'almost' as much as my ZX.

No plans for getting rid of either any time soon.

When auto battery manufacturing stops generating as much pollution compared to that of the life time of a 'stinky diesel' engine, I might think about trading in for an electric car. (Not the ZX by the way, never no way.....)

Something thats not talked about very loudly by our beloved politicians, is the toxic pollutants generated from battery manufacturing and the poor recycling potential of knackered batteries in the future. Not in their interests I suppose, to have a balance point of view.

I sold my 370Z and bought a diesel X Trail and joined the frugal ones.

Then diesel went more expensive than petrol - oh well at least it's more economical!

Now driving diesel is frowned upon and it has a huge stigma!

Guess my road tax will got back to £500.

Now we must focus on electric cars that will probably drive themselves (or so they believe). At least the owner occupant can use his mobile without fear of crashing.

Oh and why haven't many new cars got spare wheels - to reduce weight and help fuel economy. I wonder if anyone would actually notice ANY difference - they would certainly notice if they get a cut tyre.

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Well Rob, it's called age.. and experience!... Right in everything you said. Things alas, are not actually getting better. As to occupants using mobiles, the lassies are the worst, my helmet cam is full of pretty chica's texting at traffic lights. See them inch forward and they're guaranteed to be texting! Why IDK, much like my Mrs after 26 years, who can talk about nothing... oops!

The most interesting bit about saving the planet in the past few days is (I've forgotten who and have been meaning to post) is repairing some plastic. Less for our little fishes to absorb!

Z Club Member

As above, its all about tax generation from company cars.

The great irony is that having a diesel plug in hybrid as a company car puts it in the lowest tax bracket, even though it never gets plugged to charge, congestion charge free etc etc. Just doesn't stack up.